Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-10-26
A SPY WITH A LONG MEMORY
One of the Checklist Men on Record
Speech On the Ga1Iows.

%
Speech On the GalIows.
From the New York Sun.
Just before Sherman advanced on
his Georgia campaign man supposed
to be arebel spy was one day arrested
in q union camp. 1t was in the camp
of O. Wisconsin regiment that the spy,
who gave his name as George Swift,
was arrested. He had come there os-
tensibly to visit friends, but some of
the boys had seen him slyly taking
notes, and he had asked such questions
as no private federal soldier would
have any use for. | saw at q glance
that he was of Southern birth. This
was not so much against him, for at
that time we had plenty of Tennessee
and Kentucky men with us.
"What command do you belong to ?"
I asked.
"The-th Illinois," he replied.
I asked what brigade and division,
who was his captain, and various
other things, and he returned what
seemed to be straight answers to every
question. When | asked who he had
come to visit in the Wisconsin regi-
ment he was lame. A messenger was
a. once sent after the Illinois captain
named. The supposed spy was taken
to the tent Of the brigade gener al, and
as soon as brought face to face with
the captain, he saluted and said:
"Capt. Morton, the people here seem
to think am rebel spy"
"And who are your" queried the
captain, plainly astonished.
do you ask that?" reproachfully
CHI
but George Swift, fyour company ?"
"You can't be. | never saw you be.
fore in my life
"Why, Capt. Morton !"
The two men looked at each other
as if doubling their own senses, and
the general asked Of Swift:
"Who is your orderly sergeant?"
"Sergt. White, sir"
"Who are your commissioned Off
cers?"
capt. Morton, First Lieut.. Green,
and Lieut.. Davis. The latter is home
on Through"
"Who are your tent mates?"
oscar Jackson, Thomas Parker,
and John Pridgeon."
swell, captain ?" queried the general.
't1'll STAKE my life that [ never
saw this man BEFORE" the captain an
swered. and know every man in my
company by name"
The spy was ordered to strip to his
shirt, and for the fret time his cool
ness seemed to desert him. In one of
his bootlegs was q pocket and in this
pocket we found a paper bearing fig
ures as follows:
A...... 1d....... ~
L.. "........9,O 900
C....." ........... 900
In q Few minutes we were satisfied
that the paper read: "Artillery in
first division, 27 pieces" The 81"
stood for infantry, and the 'C' for
cavalry. We were satisfied, and yet
we were not, for, as soon as we made
it out the way have given it to you,
Swift said:
General, Capt. Morton Ices not seem
to be q good hand to remember faces.
Will you please send for the orderly
sergeant and my tent mates ?"
The cool proposition staggered the
general. Two hours later he was con-
lronted with the orderly sergeant.
Sergeant, do you know this man p
asked the general. mo, SIR"
OWIIU SI1hACO cS IL III WCL0 o.
good joke, and said:
"Perhaps have changed skins with
somebody since / came out of camp
this morning. Sergt. White, your
given name is Thomas. You came
from Chicago. You have been twice
wounded. Your father was down to
see you last week. You get love-let-
tiers from your girl in Galesburg. You
are 32y ears old. You have brother
Ben in Company E. Hear me call the
roll Of our company: Albright, Allli-
son, Andrews, Arkwright, Bement,
Beamer, Bostwick, Carter, Corliss,
DostIgan. Cummerford-''
The sergeant looked from his cap
tain to the prisoner, and then pinched
himself to seeifn he was awake or asleep.
"I-I never saw him BEFORE" he
finally stammered, "but he must be-
long to the company"
Eyes, he certainly must" added the
captain.
well, take him back to camp with
you, sergeant" observed the general.
''Hold on, though, didn't we send'for
his tent mates 2"
"They are here, sir"
"Well, vel see if they recognize him."
The three men were brought in, and
inside OF five minutes Swift was q
doomed man He had come into the
camp four or five days previous, claim
ing to be lookingfor g. friend, and had
bribed the boys to let him into the
tent. A court martial was convened,
and four day after. his capture Swift
was hung When the moose was put
over his head heard him say:
"Gentlemen, it's g. fine morning to
start on such q journey as mine!"
Origin of the Texas.